Pendant snap-switch.



Patented Apr. 18, 1911.

2 SHvBETS-SHEET l.

WITNESSES.' gg

1a INVENTOH B.. E. LEVE.

PENDANT SNAP SWITCH.

Arrmouron Hmm 21.6, 1919.

989,618, f Patented Apr.18,1911.

2 BHBETB-SHEET 2.

www.

' mem Ill',A

/Nvfwron Wahr/lil (r6 man Er UNiTED 'sT-arEsP-ATENT OFFICE. y

nonEE'r E. L-EVE, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

PENDANT stur-SWITCH.

Specication of Letters Patent.'

Application filed April e, 1910. serial no. 553,709.

Toall' whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT E. LEVE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, county, cit-y,

and State of New York, have invented certain new. and useful Improvements in Pendant Snap-Switches, set forth in the followin specification.

Ihis invention relates to snap switches,

the specific-embodiments illustrated beingV `pendant snap switches.

An object of the invention is to simplify the construction 'of switches of this class and to insure an instantaneous'make and break.`

A further object of the 4invention is to provide, in a simple manner, for the locking of a switch bladsin each of two extreme positions, such as open or closed position i with respect to-theswi'tch contacts.

To the above ends the novel employment of a. toggle is contemplated whereby a hammer part'at theknuckl'e of the toggle is utilized to strike a hammer blow on a part of the switch blade to effect instantaneous movenient of the switch blade from one position to the other and vice versa. Also a combined locking and guidingpin is 'fixed to the extremity of what may be termed a lioating toggle'arm to coperate with locking shoulders provided on the switch blade for the purpose of locking the switch blade in each of 'its two extreme posit-ions until the instant the switch blade is to be shiftedA by the hammer blow. The general object of theinvention is also furthered by the em loyment of tandem push buttons for brealiing the toggle,

The invention consists of the construction, combination and -arrangement of parts set forth in and falling within the scope of the accompanying claims.

.The invention will be described in its preferred embodiments in the following specification wlich should be read .in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, and in which,-

15:5,- view illustrating the switch bla e; Fig. 6

Figure 1 is a vertical `section through an embodiment of theinvention, but showing parts in elevation; Fig, 2 is a vertical section taken through line -IIof Fig. 1 also showing parts inl elevation; Fig. 3 1s a horizontal section through line III- III of Fig. 1 showin@r parts 'in plan; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the insulatin shield for protecting theswitch contacts; Fig. 5 is a erspective Vnalplate; Fig. 8 is 1s a perspective view illustrating the frame 'or the switch mechanism of the embodiment shown in Fi 1, 2 and 3; Fig. 7 is a perspective'view o the oord gripping termia perspective view of one of the switch contacts; Flg. i) is a detail ver- Patented Apr. 18, 1911.

tical elevation embodyin parts corresl ond-A a detail elevastruction; and Fi 13 is a detail elevation of the mechanism of Fig. 10.

Referring. now particularly to'jthe embodiment 'illustrated in Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive,

rame for the construction l indicates ay suitably shaped, cored casing y "of insulating material preferably porcelain,

'which is shown pressed in one part, although this is not essential to the invention. The

casing l is-provided'with interior lengthwise channels 2 oppositely positioned and arranged to seat the opposite legs of the U shaped mechanism'supporting frame 3' which is fixed in .position in an obvious manner by the countersunk screws 4. An

arbor 5 is mounted in the frame 3 crosswise to its length and in the lower portion there- "of as indicated. In the upper portion of the legs of the frame 3 oppositely arranged guiding slots 6 are provided 1n vertical alinement with the arbor 5. A combined ends working or floating in the slots 6. VA toggle Shas the extremity of its arm 9 pivote to the arbor 5v andv the extremity of its other or floating arm 10 pivoted to the guiding pin 7. A part of the toggle at the knuckle is designated @hammer part, specifically', in this embodiment, it .is the knuckle pin 11 extending to -lthe right as shown in Fig. 2 so that it projects throu l1 the clearance slot 12 provided inthe switch blade 13. The switch blade 13 is pivoted-at its lower end through' the lmedium of .the-

bearing 14 upon the arbor 5 and extendssubstantially lengthwise alongside of the toggle ,guiding and lockingpinhas vits respective 8 in the frame 3 but has a sidewise swingingmovement .about the arbor 5 limited bythe radialstop walls'l at the sides of the opening 16 provided-through the.'q switch blade body for the passage of the pin 7. The

l upper ehd of the switch blade 13 is rovided with the bridge contact 17 secure to but insulated from the laterally offset projecting lug 18, as indicated. An upward projection '19 of the switch blade into the opening 16 provides opposite locking shoulders 20 co- -operating with the locking pin 7,' while the f path of movement of the knuckle vupper end of this projection 19-terminates in two symmetrical downwardly beveled faces .21. The symmetrically poslticned end I Walls 22 of the clearance slot 12 form laterally spaced striker anvils located'aci'ifzislsltlieA 1 1 eing understood that the length o the are separatingthe striker anvils 22 is less than the arc sha ed throw of theknucklepin .11. Although t is construction is not essential, thetoggle arms 9 and 10-are` shown formed lof bent metallic strips l substantially Up. shaped with their terminal legs connected by the knuckle pin 11 and spaced apart by the washer 23 which also serves to Aincrease the mass at the knuckle-of the toggle` A washer 24 is also shown slightlyspacing the switch blade 13 from the toggle 8. Grooyed fiber. washers 25A aretitted on the guidm pin 7 and similar berwashers 26 are fitte on the ends of arbor-5. y r1`hese fiber washers serve as spacers or'the' lswitch mechanism' and also .as anti-friction bearings for vgthe ends of two o positel tension springs 27 whichare, there ore, through the medium of lthe washers,v arbor 5 and pin 7,.connected tof the extremities of the toggle arms and tend L always to draw the ioating` pin 7-toward ,the arbor 5. A pair of tandem push buttons 28 and 29, are connected in alinement by the stem 30, extendingv axially from the push button -29 through the legs of the toggle arm 01 91ai1d threaded into 'the oppositepush but-4r ,"lton 28. They are shown' seated in. across* wise position through opposite holes provided in the insulating casmg 1 and so that" 'the inner end of eac push button is arrangedoperatively to enga e one of the oposite si es of the pivote toggle-arm 9. imilar brush contacts 31 and 32 are pro-4 vided for coperation with the bridge contact 17. Each contact'compises'a-flat base' member 33 perforated for the passage of -screwsand with a struck up and inwardl offset contact 'finger 34,' as illustrated. Esc of these brush contacts is seated on .suitably formed opposite ledges of the casing 1 and clamped in' position by an overlying terminal comprising a Hat base portion 35 hav- I- ing spaced erforations threaded to receive i the ends .o screws' 36 passing lengthwise through the porcelain casing*y a struck up binding post member 37 provided with the usual 'binding screw 38; and an upand over-turned friction hook 39 adapted .to hook 'over and grip. the insulation of the--terminal wire connected with the binding post- 38. '-An insulatingfiber disk 40 is also pro'' vided to be seated on the upstanding ledges 41 of the porcelain casing to protect the switch mechanism. It is provided wth'opposite slots 42 for the passage of the terminal wires. The porcelain casing 1 and the entire mechanism is shown inclosed in' a metallic shell which is shown in two partszfan upper spun-metal part 43 rovided'with the insulated bushing 44 and t e lowerspun metal part 45 4having a bottom closre-V 46 and perforations for the push buttons 28 and 29, it being understood that the push buttons 28 and 29 may be assembled after the lower part 45 has been slippedover therbottom of the porcelain casing, after which the push buttons may be inserted through the holes provided, therefor and screwed to ether in tandem engagement. A'Ihe top she be held in lposition byv frictlon or by any suitable means securing the overlap ing 43 mayl rims of the top and bottom shells, suc as screws 47.

In- Fi ..9 a Slight modification 0f ai@ switch b adeis illustrated." In this modification the clearance slot 12 is omitted and the knuckle pinl11sof the toggle isnot rea-1'- wardly extended'. Ihere. are, however, provided strikeranvils in the form of struck lout ears 48 which lie across the path o f movement ofthe to gle knuckle itselfvso that in this modification the knuckle ofthe toggle is the hammer portion ats with the anvils 48.

p'emtz'on Figs.' ]-The switch is shown in the ligures in open circuited osition. The ioating pin 7 is drawn 420 formed in the switch blade. The stop wall 15 prevents the swinging of the switch blade to' the left and the stop wall 20 prevents its Swingin to the right. In other words lit is locke in the position shown. In closing` the Switch, the' push button 28 is pressed so that its innei` end operatively engages the pivotedtoggle arm 9 straightening out the toggle into dead center position which copel'- 1 own 'firmly bylthe sprlngs 27 into the pocket -formed between the rlght hand stops 15 and 'which causes the pin 7 to travel upwardly inl the slot 6 to clear the stop; shoulder '20. As soon as the'toggle has been broken, that is,A forced slightly to the'right of dead cen'f terl position, the tension of 'springs 27 causes the toggle knuckle" to snapfto the ri ht.'-

-There 1s rovided a suilicient amount of ost motion or, the hammer portion at' the knuckle ofllllre'toggle from the dead center position of the toggle to engaging osition .of the hammer ortion. with thestriker an- `Vil of the'knie lade. This allows'the tog'- gle to acquire considerable momentum and to deliver a shar hammerl blow to the switch blade, whic instantly snaps it into closed positiomso that'ifthebridge 17 electricall connects the brush contacts 31 4and 32.l l

It s iould be noted thatthe inner end of the4 l front of the p opposite push button 29 is spaced suiiiciently apart from the inner end of push button 28 so that the toggle ar1n'9 may complete its.

swing to the right and the toggle exert its entire force in shiftin the switch blade without striking the inner end of push button 29 to interrupt its movement. To shift the switch blade from closed cirouited position to open circuted position the operation is the reverse of the above, it being understood, of course, button 29 is the operative button for this operation. Furthermore,-4 in connection with this apparatus the advantageous features of ready 4assemblement should be noted. Practical-ly the entire switch mechanism may be assembled outside of the as it is mounted in the U shaped meta lic frame Bwhich can be slipped into the porcelain casing and secured 'therein after the switch parts have been properly assembled. ModjicatomHA modified construction is shown in Figs. l0 t0 13. In this construction the brush contacts or contact fingers 31 and 32 and the-terminal construction shown in Fig.7 Aas well as the protecting disk 40 shown in Fi 4are the same as previously described. n' this embodiment the frame is inthe form indicated in Fig. 13. It comrises a metallic plate 5l of suitable shape having its up er end turned down overthe ate to form the spaced lug 52 which together with theplate is perforated to form a bearing for thearbor 53 which is alined With the iguide slot 54 rovidedin the lower -end of the frame p ate 11. This frame plate isV to be secured within the porcelain casing 55 in any suitable manner, as by means of screws 56 but spaced apart from the flat inner wall-57 of the casing 55 by feet' 58 on the rear ofthe plate. See dot-ted lines in Fig. 13.) The switch b ade 50 is shown in Fg.`12 having provided at its upper end the bridge cont-act 17 insulated as previously described from the blade proper. The switch blade is plate 51 at the bearing 59 by means of the pivoted to the frame pin 60 and occupies a position in a vclearance space-at the rear of the plate 51.. The slot 61 provides play for the rearwardly projecting.

end ofthe arbor 53, while the end Walls of the slot 6l serve as stops to limit the throw of the switch blade by engaging the rearwardly projecting'end of the arbor 53. The switch blade 50 also has a central perforation 62 the side-Walls 63 of. which are the striker anvils. y The upper arm 64l of the toggle has its extremity pivoted to the arbor 53, while the extremity of the lower or fioating arm 65 of the `toggle lisprovided with a guide pin 66 Vwhich works in the slot 54. In. this constructiontlie hammer portion atthe knuckle of the toggle is not located exactly at the pivot pin of the vknuckle but corresponds substantially in position with the togthat the pushl porcelain casin 1 counter-clockwise.

gleknuckle. This hammer portion is shown 1n the form of a pin 67 fixed to the arm 64 and extending rearwardly thro h the clearance slot 68 provided in the p ate "51 and then through. the perforation 62 in thev switch blade 5.0 to coperate with the anvils 63. The tension spring means connecting the extremities of the toggle is indicated by 69 and tends to break the toggle, the throw of which is limited by the en agement-of the pin 67 with the end walls of sot 68. Betw en the toggle arm 64 and the plate 51 the'r lo ing sector 70 is freely pivoted onthe arbor 53. Links 71 and 72 are pivoted to the opposite extremities of this sector 70 and terminato respectively in push buttons 73 and 74 which project through suitable openings in the outer metallic shell 75. The arc shaped edge of the sector 70 is cut away at 76 to form faces 77 and 78 which are symmetrically positioned at opposite sides of the center line of the sector and extend across the path oi movement of the pin 67.

peratz'ou Figs. 10. ]3.-This switch, like that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is shown in open circuit position. To shift it into closed circuit position the` push button 74 is pushed to rock the rockingsector 70 Face 76 engages pin 67 carrying the toggle to dead center position. In this position the arbor 53,' pin 67 and slot 54 -are in line.- The pin 67 is not-yet in contact with the right hand anvilA 63 of the switch blade. A further movement of the push button 74 causes the to gle to be broken on the right hand side of ead center, whereupon the pin 67 snaps to the right and strikes the anvil 63. a hammer blow to snap the switch blade to the right and cause the bridge 17 to contact with the brush contacts of the switch. The pin 67 follows up the anvil 63 and by reason of the` tension of spring means 69 holds the switch blade andthe brid' e 17 in its closed posi.- tion. To operate t e switch to open posit-:ion a similar sequence of steps takes place uponl pushing the push but-ton 73 although, in this case, the face 77 engages the pin 67 tobreak the toggle to the left.- f It is to be understood that suitable materials known tothe art areemployed in the construction 4flthe various parts.

Although several embodiments of the in-l vention have been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that these have been set forth merely for the purpose of ,illustration and that the Vtrue scope of thefin# vention -is that set forth in the accompanying claims. 1 f What isclaimed and what is desired to be 4 secured byv United States Letters Patent'V i 1 In a. snap switch, a fixed frame; a swltch blade pivoted to said frame and movable freely 4into each of two. extreme posite extreme position.

located su stantially across the path of positions; means for locking said blade in' eachof. said extreme ositions; and means for first unlockin sai blade and` for strikit a hammer low to shifty it into the op'- 2. In a'snap switch, a ixed frame; a

switchblade pivoted to said frame and' movable freely into each'of two extreme posiions; means for locking said'blade 1n' each 1 0 Vof said 'extreme lpositions; and means for' ,unlockin said b ade and for strikin 1t a Ahammer liilow at the instant it is un oeked to shift it into the op osite extreme posltion.'

' '3. In a4 nap switc a fixed frame havlng afslot an'd an arbor spaced apart from and 'alined with s'aid slot; a -toggle having a hammer part at its knuckle, the extremity 4of one arm pivoted on said arbor, and the extremity of its other arm providedwith a guide pin working in said slot; av tenslon spring connectingvthe extremities of saidtoggle arms ;`a' ivoted switch blade extending substantial y lengthwise of sald toggle and having laterally Spa'cedvstriker anvls located substantially across the path of '.movement of saidhammer part; and double actin means for breakin said toggle.

4. n a snap swit ch,.axed frame having' a slot and an arbor spaced apart from and alined .with said slot; a toggle-having. a hammer part atV its knuckle, the extremity of one'arm plvoted onsaid arbor, andtheeX-J4 tremity of its other-arm provided with aV v guide pin working in said slot; .a tension spring connecting the extremities .of said toggle; amis; a pivoted switch bladefextend# ing substantially .lengthwise of said toggle' and havin laterally spaced 'striker-anvlls- 40" movement of said hammer/part; sto s limiting the swing of said blade';.an double acting means for breakin said toggle.

5`. n a snap'switch, a xed frame hvin Iaslotand an arbor spaced apart .from and alined with said slot;` a toggle having a -hammer part at -its knuckle, "the'extremity of one armfpi-voted'onsaid arbor, and the extremity o its otherarx'n provided with a guide pin-'working 'in said slot; a tension 5o spring connecting the 'extremities of `said Y toggle arms;ja ivoted switch blade extending.A substantial y lengthwise of said toggle .and hav-in -laterallyspaoed striker .anvils located su stantially across the path of ing substantia throwing' sai substantially len hwise of said frame with so A'located -su `tantially across the ,movement of said hammer art; an 'a pair 10o stops provided on said blade to coperate opiesot this patent may be obtained for movement of said hammer part; locking `ali-ned with said slot; a tog 1e' having'a hammer part at its knuckle, t e extremity of one arm pivoted on seid arbor,- and the extremity of its other arm provided with a guide `pm working in said slot 5 a tension. spring connecting the extremities of said toggle arms; a l1pivoted switch .blade extend- 1 y lengthwise of said toggle and having `laterally spaced striker 'anvils 70 located substantially acoss the path of movement of said hammer part; and doubleacting means 4for breaking said toggle comprlsing two oppositely acting pus buttons.

'i'.- In. a push button snap switch; a casing A75 of insulatln material; .a frame, and a pivoted switch lade both extending lengthwise insaid casing' a spring operated toggle for switch blade' and `mounted the extremityl o one arm pivoted Ato said frame; and a pair of tandem .push buttonsfixed-one tothe other and' extending crosswise through suitable holes in said casing, the inner end of each Apush button being arranged dperatively to engage "the pivoted arm of said toggle.

8.'.In -a sna'p 'switeli, a l ed frame having a slot and an arbor 'space apart from an -alinedl with sa'id slot;v a toggle having a 90 hammer part at itsknuckle, the 'extremity offene arm ivoted on said airbor, and the extremity o its other arm provided With'a guide 4pin working lin said slot a tension spring connecting theextremities of said toggle arms; aivbted switch blade. extend-A ingsubstantial y lengthwise of said Vtoggle and havin laterally .spaced Astriker` alrlivil at -o of tndempush buttons xed one to the `other "and mounted with the inner end ofeach in operative -position to engage one ofthe opposlte vsides of the pivoted toggle arm.

In witness whereof, .have signed: my 41015 1 name to .this specification, in -the presence of two subscribing witnesses v ROBERT E. LEvE.

` F. Lrrruni LEONARD Dar."

ive cents tach', by addressing the "Aommi-ssioner o! Patents, i Washington, Il. 0; 

